Method of packing condensers



F. E. PAYNE. HOD 0F PACKING CONDENSERS. APPLICATION FILED APR- 24 MET 920. r 13 90 1 j Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

Figure his an elevation partly in Section of a condenser. v Fig. 2 is. an enlarged sectional elevation of the tube sheet showing the connection of "incomplete ring 7, is shown in Fig. 4 and funeral) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

raA-Nx a PAYNE, or crimson, rumors.

lemon or racxnve' CONDENSERS.

specification or Letters Patent.

'latented Aug. 16, 1921.

4 v 1 Application fil ed 24, 1920. Serial No. 376,300.

Q 'To all whovnc't may canoe m:

My invention.relates to improvements in methods of packing condensers, evaporators,

and the like.

Heretofore, it has been necessary to renew the'tubes ofcondensers and the like'at intervals because-of their disintegration/due to electrolysis. Since the larger condensers may contain'f'several thousand tubes, it is apparent thatthe time, difficulty and expense of such renewal are important items of maintenance. Furthermore, packing is used at each end of each tube to prevent leakage and the. renewal of the tubes involves also a renewal of the ackings;

' Thh general ob ect of the invention is t provide an improved method of packing con-- densers, which greatlyreduces the detrimental effect of electrolysis thereby cuttingdown the renewahexpense, and which makes more rapid and effective such renewals as are required.

Contributory objects are to provide ametallic, bond between the tubes and the tube by expansion and contraction, without persheet thus furnishing a conducting'path for such currents as are generated; to,provi de a bond} of this character which permits the necessary movements of the tubes,caused mitting leakage of air, vapor or liquid; and

to provide a oint of this kind into which 'the metal packing may bereadily packed ,and from which it may be conveniently removed.

Other objects. and advantages will be apparent fromthe following more detailed description. I m i- For convenience, I have illustrated the in- "vention as applied to'a condenser, although it is applicable to other classes of service, 'particularly where a high vacuum is to be maintaine f. In the drawings...

one of the tubes therewith.

tate" tweelnthe tube sheet and the tube, and

Fig. 6 1s a.partial elevation of a modified 3 a front elevation thereof. F1g. 4 1s a perspective'view of one of the metallic packmg rings.

F ig; 5 is a section of amodified joint betube structure.

- The condenser 1 shown in Fig. 1 is intended to represent a standard construction as far as the relation of the tubes and the tube sheet is concerned. The end of each tube 2 passes through an opening in the tube sheet 3, outward movement of said tube being limited by a .ferrule4, which has screw-threaded engagement with the wall of the opening.

Said ferrule has an open outer endto permit the water to flow therethrough and is also provided with a pair of notches 5 to receive a tool by means of which it'may' be screwed into position.

The inner end of the opening through the;

tube sheet is ofreduced diameter, thereby providing a shoulder 6. An annular space is thus formed between said shoulder and the inner screw threaded endof the ferrule.

This opening receives the packing, which,

heretofore has been'made of some form of fabric. There is-a slight clearance between the tube and the metal wall of the tube sheet and of the ferrule, a s team and'water-tight joint being maintained as far as possible with the fabricpacking. Difliculty has been encountered, however, in that electrolytic action is usually set up, resulting in disintegration of the tubes near the joint and further difliculty has been encountered in that the alkalis and other chemicals, which are often found in solution in the cooling water, cause deterioration of the fabric packings. Such .packings also deteriorate under the action of steam, oil and high tempera- 1 tures. The high temperature frequently causes the packings to become hard or cementthemselves to the tube preventing free movement of the latter as they expand and contract due to temperature variations, resulting sometimes in buckling of the tubes.

I avoi these difliculties by using a metallic packing made preferably of a soft metallic substance which isnot attacked by any 'of the chemicals commonly occurring 1n 'cir-' culatin water and which does not deteriorate w en exposed to high temperatures. Such packing, in the form of a-divided or hi h vacuum.

culati-ng) may consist of metaL foil wound spirally back and forth on a suitable core andthereafter bent into a ring,orthe ring may be.

-made of crimped metal foil or otherwise formed. The packing described in Crane Patent 1,151,344, August 24, 1915, is suitable for this purpose. Such metal rings are more readily. ut" in place in theannular recess ance is prov1ded through said rings, thereby forming a direct electrical connection betWeen the'tubes and the tube sheets. As a current will flow. through the metallic rings rathenthan from the tube through the cirwater or electrolyte; which latter flow 1s 'elieved to-be the" cause of the tube disintegration previously -experienced. To provide a path of good conductivity, the

result of any small voltages developed, the

, packingneed notnecessarily be all metallic.

n fact, any outer coating is otherwise satisfactory,

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a modified construction wherein the ferrules are, 'elimi nated. The tube sheet 8 has an opening packing having a conducting tlerethrough, part of which is in the form' 40 o aconical recess with an inclined wall 9, at the end of'which is a shoulder 10. The

. are slipped into place and then one at a tlme-by being struckor sw gendin tube 11, asin the first case illustrated, passes freely-throughthe openings and has an extension of reduced diameter at its end forming ashoulder 12'. The packing rings'13 expanded se with a suitable tool-such as described in a coa gplicationof Julian N. Walton', o

erial 8559,:filed May 3rd, 1920. 1 The packing is locked'in'place between the, shoulder 10 andthe sloping wall 9, thereby eliminating the ferrule while afi'ording all the advantages of the c construction previously descrlbed. The shoulder 12' limits the outer movement'of thetube at one end and a similar shoulder at the opposite end limits its movement in the opposite direction, the

movement being oeeasioned by expansion andcontra'ction. .L A l In 6 a further modified tube 1451s shown, .the notches at the end of which are formed by bending outwardly the lugs 15,-

said lugs-servin to limit theinward movement of one en of thetube and hence the Will answer the purpose, if it outward movement of the other end thereof and avoiding-the necessity of the shoulder illustrated'in Fig. 5.: I g

v The use of the metallic-packing described permits a high vacuum to be maintained and at the-same time permits the tube end to slide .within the packing. In fact, the. tube may be completely withdrawn without 'removing the packing incase the removable ferrule is used. i I

Inasmuch as some of the larger condensers in present-day use contain as many as twelve thousand "tubes-requiring twenty-four thousand sets of packings, it will be evident that the saving of time and money vinvolved in' cutting down renewals either of the packings or of the tubes is a very important mat ter. Not only may the packing be readily installed, but it -may also be readily re moved by means of a suitable removin tool tight by simply tightening the ferrules from time to time, if necessary.

also illustrated in said Waltonapplication The invention is not limited to the apps ratus specified, but ma types of equipment.

be used inothe'rn referring to airtight jointsin the claims, I intend to cover jolnts tight against leakage of vaporand li .uid as well and, in fact, against leakage o whatever medium may be accessible to the 'oint.

atIcl'aimis:-'

1. Means for preventing deleterious electrolytic action, which consists in the comwbination in a receptacle, of a metallic tube sheet having openlngs therein, tubes having ends received within said openings, and metallic packing between saidtubes and tube sheet forming an air-tightsliding joint and 1providing a path of low electrical resistance tweensaid tube and sheet.

,2. Means for 'preventin deleterious electrolytic action which consists in the combination in avreceptacle, of a metallic tube sheet having openings therein, tubes havin ends received within said openings, meta 7 lie packing between said-tubes and tube sheet forming an air-tight slidin joint and pro-v viding a path of. good electrical conductivitybetween said tube and sheet, and means for limitingthejlongitudinal movement gt said tubes caused by temperature changes.-

3. Meansfor reventing deleterious electrolytic actioniw liich consists in the combinationwith an electrically conductive tube sheet having an opening therein, of an electrically conductive tube passing therethrough, an enlarged; annular recess forming part of said opening, and metallic packing rings compressed w1th1n saldrecess to form an-air-tight joint and to electrically.

connect said tube and slieet.

4. The combmation with atube sheet having an opening therein, of a tube passing therethrough and terminating near the outer plane of said sheet, an enlarged annular re-' cess forming part of said opening, metallic packing rings individually compressed within said recess to form an air-tight joint and to electrically connect said tube and sheet, and means for maintaining the end of said tubes having their opposite ends received within corresponding openings, each opening having an enlarged conical recess and divided metallic packing rings compressed within each recess to short circuit said tubes and sheets, and to provide an air-tight slid-- ing joint, said packing being locked in place 1 by the conical walls of the containing recess. v

7. In a condenser, a tube sheet having an opening with an enlarged annular portion,

a tube passing loosely through said opening and having a reduced end portion to form ashoulder, and packing fitted within said enlarged opening and embrac' said tube,

said shoulder serving to limit t e longitudinal movement of said tube by engaging said packing, the latter comprising metal foil wound helically on a core.

8. A method of packing condensers and the like to prevent deleterious electrolytic action, which consists in supporting the end "of the tube within an opening in the tube sheet by metallic packing which maintains an air tight sliding joint and electrically short circuits the tube and sheet.

9. The combination with a tube sheet having an opening therein, of a tube passing therethrough and terminating near the outer plane of said sheet, an enlarged annular recess forming part of said opening, John Crane packing compressed within said recess to 'form an air-tight joint and to electrically connect said tube and sheet, and

means for maintaining the end of said tube near said-outer plane as its moves under the influence of temperature changes.

10. A device of the class described, comprising, metallic tube sheets and metallic tubes connecting the same and in communication with openings in saidtube sheets, said tubes being in metallic contact with one tube sheet near one of their ends and having metallic packings between their other ends and the other tube'sheet, said packingsiorming air-tight sliding joints and paths of good electrical conductivity, there y substantially eliminating lytic action.

my name.

FRANK E. PAYNE.

deleterious electrotestimony whereof, I have subscribed 

